1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to notebook computers, and more particularly, to a notebook computer in which a computer body and a docking station can be locked together using a lock.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, users prefer notebook computers whose bodies are slim. Coping with such user preference, notebook computers whose main bodies can be connected with docking stations have recently become popular.
The docking station generally includes a hardware frame and a series of interfaces that provide electrical connections with external devices. Using the docking station, functions of a notebook computer can be executed effectively like a desktop computer. These interfaces typically allow the notebook computer to communicate with a local printer, large-capacity storage devices or backup drives and other devices, which are separately provided to a notebook computer. A docking station may further include a network interface card (NIC) with which the notebook computer is allowed to access a local area network (LAN). Variations of the docking station include a port extending device, a device that extends the number of ports which can be used in a notebook computer, and a storage expanding device holding therein a CD-ROM drive, a floppy disk drive, and additional storage units.
The docking station also includes a lock hole through which a KENSINGTON lock is locked to prevent the loss or theft of the docking station. The KENSINGTON Lock generally refers to a plastic-coated steel cable with a lock. One end is fixed at an opening on one side of the notebook with a special key and locked. The other end is attached to a fixed point. Without the appropriate key, you cannot remove the notebook computer without damaging it.
However, in the conventional notebook computer, whose main body is connected with the docking station, a locking function is not provided to the computer main body connected to the docking station when the docking station is fastened with the KENSINGTON lock. Thus, the computer main body may be lost or stolen.
In order to prevent both the computer main body and the docking station from being stolen, a plurality of KENSINGTON locks must be installed separately to the computer body and the docking station, thereby causing trouble or inconvenience to the users.
The present invention has been made keeping in mind the above and other shortcomings, and an object of the present invention is to provide a notebook computer in which a computer body and a docking station can be locked with a lock to thereby prevent the computer main body and the docking station from being lost or stolen.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
This and other objects of the present invention may be achieved by providing a notebook computer having a computer main body and a docking station detachably installed to a lower part of the computer main body, and cooperating with the computer main body according to an embodiment of the invention, comprising a lock having a lock member, a lock hole part provided in the docking station through which the lock member of the lock is inserted, a link slidably installed in the docking station to lock and release the lock member of the lock, a lock part provided in the docking station to allow the docking station to be coupled to or released from the lower part of the computer main body, and a rotation-limiting part provided between the link and the lock part to limit a limiting rotation of the lock part when the link is locked to the lock member of the lock according to the sliding movement of the link.
According to an aspect of the invention, the link further comprises a spring to elastically bias the link so as to allow the link to be locked to the lock member of the lock.
According to an aspect of the invention, the rotation-limiting part comprises a rib extended from one side of the link toward the lock part, thereby being in contact with or separated from the lock part according to the sliding movement of the link.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the rotation-limiting part further comprises a rotation arm having a first wing rotatably combined in the docking station and being in contact with a side of the link, and a second wing in contact with or separated from the lock part according to the sliding movement of the link.